Forbidden Love
by Guinevere137
Summary: Daniel (oc) has just graduated as a full-fledged Ranger. But as he travels to his own fief he learns a very important lesson. Love comes from the most unexpected places. Especially a love you can't have.
1. Chapter 1

Forbidden Love

**Chapter 1**: Saddle Sleeping and Ruins

Summary: Daniel has just graduated as a full-fledged Ranger. But as he travels to his own fief he learns a very important lesson. Love comes from the most unexpected places. Especially a love you can't have.

**A/N**: This is a story that my BFF and I came up with at recess. She doesn't have an account and I promised her that she would get credit. Because she totally deserves it, she worked really hard on this with me. This is my first fic on this fandom so please review but be nice okay! Love you guys for reading this!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Ranger's Apprentice (sadly)

Daniel Treaty sighed and squinted up at the sun. For what felt like the hundredth time, he wondered if he was really ready to look after his very own fief. He'd been told by his father time and time again not to worry, that every new Ranger felt lie that. Daniel wasn't so sure.

With his horse, Brier, totting along easily beneath him, and the blazing July sun on his back, Daniel could have fallen asleep then and there. But he didn't. He couldn't. What sort of message would that send to his father if he fell asleep and awoke to find he was being attacked. What if he couldn't react fast enough and got himself killed or worse…these thoughts- and others like them- woke Daniel up. For a while….

/

Daniel woke with a start as Brier began to whinny. He sat up from his slumped position and silently berated himself for forgetting what hid father had thought him. His eyes widened as he took in his surroundings. Both Halt and Will had told him that he'd have to go by the Gorlan Ruins on his way to Caraway, but do to his incompetence, Brier had simply wandered right into them. He had heard about the fief from Halt and the other Rangers that he'd met and all of them that it was an extremely dangerous place to go. Especially at night.

Some villagers of the village that surrounds Redmount Castle whisper about Morgarath's " ghost" had come back here to the Ruins and that if you go there at night, he'll come to the edge of your camp and wait until you come to him… then he'd kill you. Daniel didn't believe this; no one had ever actually had proof. But then again, if no one lived to tell the tale, then that would be proof enough for most people. Daniel wasn't most people.

He glanced up at the sun; there was half an hour left of daylight. He'd have to stay here for

That night as he lay awake on his bedroll, Daniel wondered what it was like for his Dad the first time his came here. His father had told him stories of the Kalkara; viscous creatures that killed people by looking them in the eye and scaring them so damn bad their hearts stopped. Over the years, Daniel had just come to believe that they were r the night. _Maybe I'll see the ghost._ Daniel thought.

simply made up monsters that my father had created to get him to behave or something. He didn't really believe in them anymore.

Suddenly, Daniel heard a noise. It was soft at first, steadily growing louder. Footsteps. That's what he was hearing. It sounded as though someone was wounded and was limping along.

_Crunch. _Went the gravel. It was a sort of crunch-drag sound. It freaked him out.

Daniel slowly stood, grabbing his longbow and placing an arrow in the string as he did so, when he reached his full height, he aimed the bow in the direction of the noise.

"Who's there?" he called, trying to keep his voice from shaking. "I-I'm armed! I-I'll shoot!" _Is it the ghost, is here to kill me?_ Daniel wondered, "I'm warning you! I'll count down from five! Five…four.." Behind him, Brier whinnied.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**: Kiara Is Not A Threat

**A/n**: 2nd chapter, yay! If you've stuck with me this long I hope this isn't a disappointment. I love all of you guys so much and on behalf of my coauthor and myself I'd like to you for reading this story! Now all you have to do is review!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Ranger's Apprentice (sadly)

The fire glowed, but just barely. Just outside out its tiny glow, Daniel could see a small human shape. "Sh-show yourself!" he called. So she did.

The girl looked about is age, with blue-gray eyes and she seemed to be just at average height. Her pail white hair was pulled into a high ponytail that sat atop her head. Slowly, Daniel lowered the bow. She was wounded; blood seeped through her brown blouse from some unseen wound in her side. "Don't shoot! Please, I beg of you! Don't shoot!" she cried weakly.

Daniel dropped the bow and rushed to her side. When he reached her, he placed a hand on her side on top of the bloodstain. The girl hissed and collapsed to the ground. He removed his hand; it was covered in blood. Dropping to his knees, Daniel wiped the blood on his trousers and attempted to calm the girl with soft whispers; "It's okay, I'm going to help you. I am so sorry about the bow thing, I didn't know…"

"Say no more! Just help. Please," She whispered, holding up a hand to silence him. He nodded.

She stared at him as he hesitated. "Well, what are you waiting for? Take the blouse off will you!"

"I …can't," He muttered, dropping his eyes. He wasn't used to this sort of thing and the idea bothered him.

She rolled her eyes, " Is this because we don't know each other? Fine, My name's Kiara, what's yours?" she held out a hand and he shook it.

"Daniel," he replied.

"Hello Daniel, there, now we know each other. Get this over with, I'm in pain."

Daniel shifted so that he was behind her and untied the laces with shaking hands. When he was done, Kiara lifted her arms over her head and he pulled it over her head. He quietly thanked God when he saw that she was wearing an undershirt. "Okay, you're gonna have to lie down on your side-your good side I mean not your…never mind."

"Are you always this jittery?" Kiara asked, laying down the way he'd instructed.

"N-no I just- I just moved out of my parent's house an-and I have to go to my first assignment, I fell asleep in the saddle and ended up here- which is not a great star, by the way- oooh you're covered in blood…." Daniel trailed off again.

"Yeah, I know that. How bad is it?" Kiara asked.

"I'll have to clean it, but it doesn't look that bad," Daniel muttered. He took out a cloth and wet it with some off his drinking water before dabbing it on the cut. The girl hissed again, going ridged for a minute. "Sorry," Daniel whispered. Sure enough the cut wasn't as bad as he'd first thought. It was hardly more than a scratch. Just a really bloody scratch.

"Are you going to put a bandage on that or what?" Kiara demanded. "I don't exactly fancy bleeding to death."

"You aren't going to die," Daniel sighed. "And yes, I am going to bandage it." In fact, he'd just been about to do that when she'd asked. He layed a thick cloth on the wound and stuck it down with a sticky substance from the first aid pack Rangers carried. He wasn't quite sure what the substance was but when he asked, no one seemed to know. But, they were Rangers, not healers, so no one really cared. It just got the job done.

"What happened to you?" He asked her.

"Well I was wandering around, found this place and thought I'd explore it a bit. I tripped on a broken brick and cut my self on another," Kiara explained. She offered no further information.

"Okay, but why were you wondering around, and where do you live?" Daniel pressed.

"I'm from Caraway, and I was simply going for a walk, and got lost, happy now?" Kiara snapped.

"Okay, okay, just asking, and yes I am happy," Daniel said. " I'm actually supposed to be going to Caraway, that's the fief I am assigned to. You could come with me if you want."

"Really?" Kiara asked, thrilled. "You'd take me with you?!"

"Sure, why not? We might as well travel together, besides I'm afraid I'll go crazy if I only have lame excuse for a horse to talk to," Daniel laughed, gesturing in the direction of Brier.

The horse snorted, _me? A lame excuse? Try you, stupid, _the sound seemed to say.

Daniel stuck out his tongue at the horse, laughing. "I'm just kidding! No need to get all defensive on me!"

"You talk to your horse?" Kiara asked.

"Yeah, all Rangers do, it gives us some one to talk to on the road," He explained. "It's kind of a subconscious thing, my dad doesn't even realize he's doing it half the time." Kiara nodded, yawning. She tucked her hands under her head and closed her eyes. Eventually, her breathing slowed, and Daniel pulled her top gently over the wound and placed a blanket over her.

"G'night, Kiara," He whispered before going to bed himself.


	3. Chapter 3

Forbidden Love: Chapter 3; Opening Up

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice

A/N: Sorry for not updating, school's just been crazy. But it's summer vacation now and suddenly I have all these awesome ideas, so bare with me. I really love this chapter and the next is even better.

Daniel woke up early the next morning and was surprised to find that Kiara had awoken even earlier. The girl sat cross-legged with her thin hands folded in her lap. She was staring at with wide, gray eyes.

"Morning," she said simply.

"Uh-morning?" Daniel muttered back.

"Really? You asking me or telling me?"

" Morning." Was all the pushy girl got back.

/

They ate a meager breakfast before packing up and heading out. At first, Daniel had tried to make some sort of small talk with the girl behind him, only to fail miserably.

" We're gonna hafta to stop at Castle Araluen, you know that right?"

"Why?"

"Because we need more food, first aid supplies and clothes," she explained. " Oh, and you need a bath." She added.

" And you need a reality check, we can't go to Castle Araluen, I know we need those things, but we are NOT going there to get them." He snapped. He didn't like Kiara much.

" Why not? We need the supplies, they have the supplies!"

"Because, we're not THAT desperate,"

"We'll die," Kiara warned him.

"No, we won't," Daniel yelled, twisting around in the saddle.

" You only have enough food for one person, not two," she argued. " Plus, I've got blood all over this top and it's nasty."

"Fine," He muttered through gritted teeth. He pulled Brier up to a group of bushes on the side of the road and got down. Then held a hand to Kiara.

"Why are we stopping?" she asked, hesitantly placing her hand in his. (Daniel's heart nearly stopped at the contact.)

"Fixing your bloody shirt problem," He explained.

"Okay, I think I get it," Kiara muttered as she got off the horse and stood at his side, her hand still intertwined with his.

Reluctantly, Daniel released her hand and dug through his bags. After going through about four bags, he found what he was looking for. He pulled out brown tunic and presented it too her. "Ta-da!" he said.

"That's a boy's shirt," she complained.

"I know, but it's clean, so it's ultimately better than the one you have on," Daniel smiled.

"Alright, but do you at least have an undershirt?" Kiara asked, taking the top.

"Ummm… let me see…" Daniel turned around and rummaged around in the saddlebag. " Yep!" he declared and tossed over her shoulder to her.

"Hey!" She squealed as it landed on her head.

" Oops, sorry," Daniel apologized.

" That's alright!" Kiara laughed. Daniel gently handed her a small comb for her hair too.

" We're close to Castle Araluen, so you might want to fix that hair-do if you want to look presentable for the Royal Family."

" I thought you didn't want to go there," Kiara said, confused.

Daniel turned to face her again, " I just remembered that my Aunt Cassandra keeps writing to me, asking me to visit her and Uncle Horace."

" Your Aunt and Uncle are the King and Queen of Araluen?!" Kiara practically yelled it out, waving her hands in the air.

"Well, not technically, my parents are best friends with them and I've been calling them that since I was a kid," Daniel explained.

"Wow," Kiara whispered, looking at him in a new sort of light, before running off into the bushes to change.

/

"Thank you, by the way, Daniel," Kiara said as she huddled by the fire that night.

"What?" Daniel looked up from the book he'd been reading and stared at her.

" Daniel, I said 'Thank You'," She repeated, laughing, " I've been so rude to you these past few days, and still you helped me."

" Oh well, you're very welcome, Kiara. By the way, call me Danny, all my friends do." Daniel told her.

"Okay, Danny" Kiara smiled, trying out the nickname.

Danny smiled back at her and leaned his back against the log. He then turned his gaze to the heavens and stared at the diamonds that glittered in the high above them. _When I get married,_ he thought, _I'd give my wife a diamond ring that sparkled just like those stars. _Suddenly, a thought accord to him; " Do you have boyfriend Kiara?" he asked.

"No."

"Husband?"

" Don't you think I woulda mentioned him if he existed?" Kiara replied, drawing in the dirt with a stick. " Why do you ask?"

" I just want to get to know you better I suppose."

" Nope, Daddy won't let me fall in love for myself and all the men he picks are air-headed knights that don't really love me. They just want my money." Kiara sighed and looked up at him, placing the stick on the ground.

"Who is your Dad?"

" Baron Ian of Caraway." She stated.

_No wonder she was so pushy at first._ Danny thought.

" My mother, Lady Victoria, is the youngest sister of Lord Morgarath." Kiara added.

"_Really?" _Danny yelled, leaning forward. " I didn't even know he had any family."

"Neither did I, not until recently. My mother just sort of let it slip out during a conversation a few days ago. She's quite ashamed of him Did you know he was one of eight?" Kiara said

"Wow."

"I went to the Ruins of Gorlan to find out about him, cut myself on a sharp piece of rubble, not long after, you found me."

"You told me you went for a walk and got lost," Danny said.

" I have to admit, I didn't trust you at first. But then I got to know you…and well…." Kiara trailed off.

Gray eyes meat brown across the dieing embers of the fire. " We'll talk more in the morning, you get some rest, and I'll take first watch." Daniel said, finally. Kiara nodded and laid down by the fire as Daniel pulled up his cowl and faded into the shadows.


End file.
